The Justice Report

July 2013



Thanks to Our Recent Donors!
  • Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield
  • John Barttelt
  • Keith Chrestman
  • Coleman Dairy
  • The Dolores F. and Thomas A. Bruce Endowment of the Arkansas Community Foundation
  • Brian Dover
  • Drummond Law Firm
  • Scott Ellington
  • Hunter J. Hanshaw
  • James E. Hathaway III
  • Randall W. Ishmael
  • Ron Lanoue
  • Legal Aid of Arkansas
  • Lyons & Cone, P.L.C.
  • Marshall & Owens P.A.
  • M.K. Distributors
  • Michael R. Mayton
  • Michael O'Malley
  • Susan Purtle
  • Scholtens & Averitt, PLC
  • Benton T. Smith
  • James D. Sprott
  • Theodor R. Stricker
  • Annabelle Imber Tuck
  • David D. Tyler
  • Waddell, Cole & Jones
  • Michael R. Walden
  • Andrea D. Walker
  • Judge Chip Welch
  • Womack, Phelps & McNeil
  • Dennis Zolper
Save the Date!
We will celebrate National Pro Bono Week from
October 20-26, 2013, with a series of events recognizing the important role of pro bono advocates in ensuring access to justice. If you are interested in helping plan any events in your office or region, please contact us.
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Nearly one in five Arkansans qualify to receive free civil legal services, yet nearly half of the 30,000 Arkansans who call for help each year are turned away because our two nonprofit legal aid providers lack the resources to serve them.

 

Our mission is to coordinate statewide efforts to ensure that all Arkansans have a fair opportunity to be heard in court in civil matters. We work with a variety of other partners who share our vision, and together, we undertake innovative projects to accomplish this mission. 

 

This newsletter provides periodic updates on the work of Arkansas Access to Justice, legal aid, our pro bono partners, and the Arkansas IOLTA program.

 

Commissioner Bill Waddell Receives Equal Justice Distinguished Service Award
Waddell_2013 EJD Award

Arkansas Access to Justice Commission member Bill Waddell is the 2013 recipient of the Arkansas Bar Foundation's Equal Justice Distinguished Service Award, according to the Foundation's Executive Director Ann Pyle.

 

The award, which was presented at a June 12, 2013 awards banquet, is given each year in recognition of commitment to and participation in equal justice program for the poor, including pro bono efforts through legal services programs. Read the full story here.

 

Medical-Legal Partnerships Improve Health Outcomes Through Advocacy

During 30 years of practice, Arkansas pediatrician Charles Feild, M.D., M.P.H., said there was only so much impact his credentials had outside the clinic walls. For patients and families struggling with poor housing, food insecurity, or the bureaucracy of public assistance programs, a letter from Feild often did little. 

 

"I had gotten very frustrated with that. When the economic and social factors become so overwhelming for patients that there are survival issues, it's hard for them to look after their health and wellness."

 

All that changed a few years ago when the clinic officially partnered with Legal Aid of Arkansas to provide much-needed, free legal services to eligible patients. 

 

Click here to read the complete story, which appears in the American Association of Medical Colleges Reporter. To support the innovative work of MLPs in Arkansas, visit our "donate" page and designate your gift for "Medical-Legal Partnerships."

 

Arkansas IOLTA Program Releases New Guidebook for Attorneys and Banks

The Arkansas IOLTA Program has released its newly updated Guidebook for Attorneys and Financial Institutions, said Executive Director Amy Johnson.  The Guidebook, which offers information about program compliance to participating attorneys and banks, has been updated to reflect recent regulatory changes and to provide guidance on common questions. 

 

For a summary of the updates, click here.

 

 

Serving Our Seniors in Hot Springs, NWA

Pro bono attorneys from the Benton County and Washington County Bar Associations and from the Arkansas Bar Association's Leadership Academy recently hosted two events where they provided legal advice and basic-end-of-life documents for seniors in Fayetteville and Hot Springs.

 

Thirty-eight advocates prepared more than 120 wills, powers of attorney, and advance directives for 56 clients.  "They were very helpful, they answered all of our questions, and helped us understand," said one Hot Springs senior. "We got a lot done today." 

 

Read the full story here.

 

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